What Should Happen to the Corpses of the Babies Gosnell Murdered? Debate Erupts

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The Dr. Kermit Gosnell trial has come to a close — but what should happen with the remains of the babies who were discovered at his clinic, the Women’s Medical Society?

Father Frank Pavone, a well-known priest and pro-life leader, has unsuccessfully appealed to the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s office, asking to gain access to the bodies so that they can be given a proper burial.

In this May 1, 2013 file photo, letters are missing from the directory of Dr. Kermit Gosnell’s former facility, the Women’s Medical Society, in Philadelphia. Gosnell, a Philadelphia abortion doctor convicted of killing three babies who were born alive in his grimy clinic agreed Tuesday May 14, 2013 to give up his right to an appeal and faces life in prison but will be spared a death sentence. Credit: AP

In sum, there are 45 babies’ bodies — and plans have not yet been announced surrounding what will happen to these remains, according to LifeNews (not all of the babies were terminated after birth and not all were viable).

“In April, we requested permission from the Philadelphia Medical Examiner to bury these children,” Pavone explained in a recent op-ed. “The nation was stunned to learn how Dr. Gosnell killed these children, and then stored their bodies in cat food containers and freezers. Now we have an opportunity to treat them better, by at least honoring their bodies with a proper funeral and burial.”

Dr. Kermit Gosnell is escorted to a waiting police van upon leaving the Criminal Justice Center in Philadelphia, Monday, May 13, 2013, after being convicted of first-degree murder in the deaths of three babies who were delivered alive and then killed with scissors at his clinic. Credit: AP

But the government apparently doesn’t want to release the babies to any third parties. And Pavone, who, through his organization, Priests for Life, previously held a service and gave the children names, is wondering why. To date, no explanation has been given.

“If there was so much outrage over how Dr. Gosnell treated these children, shouldn’t there be outrage as to how the rest of us treat them now?,” the priest told LifeNews.com.